My grandmother, Ruth Campbell Smith (1892 - 1972) kept a diary for many years. I am posting her entries from 1925 - 1927 in this blog. Her family included sons Dale (1916 - 2004), Dick (1918 - 1971), Albert (1920 - 1979), and Ned (1923 - 1976), and later daughters Marjorie (1925 - 2010) and Eleanor (1929 - 2011). Her husband was Gilbert (1889 - 1937) and they lived in Indianapolis. I hope you enjoy this glimpse of what it was like to be a housewife and mother in the 1920's.

Sunday, October 01, 2006

Thursday, October 1, 1925

Thursday, October 1, 1925Cloudy

Nothing happened yet. Got outing to make Ned pajamas and finished one. Mrs. Little cut pieces for an outing, comforter for Ned’s bed and I got a big part of it pieced together. I sat and sewed so steady I felt I need some exercise and air so we took a walk of about half a mile, Gilbert and I , hoping to start something.

(No baby yet, but at least Grandma was starting to think about how to get things going. She had written earlier that she didn't want to send for Mrs. Little too soon because of the cost, so I'm sure she wanted to have that baby by now, as much as some readers of this diary want her to have that baby by now. But it didn't happen on this day.I'm not sure what she is writing about when she refers to "outing". When she wrote she "got outing.." I assume that means fabric. When she wrote "cut pieces for an outing", that sounds like she is refering to a type of garment. Hmmm...)

2 comments:

This had me curious, so I googled! Found this on fabrics.net: Outing flannel is a soft, twill or plain weave fabric napped on both sides. Used for baby clothes, diapers, and sleepwear. I don't know what it would have meant in the other usage though. Maybe she was making a blanket from outing flannel? I remember wanting to have things made for my older kids too so they wouldn't feel left out when the baby was born.

Outing is flannel fabric, or the stuff they used to make pajames with feet (when my kids were really little they wore Dr Dentons, these were pajamas with feet and the tops buttoned onto the bottoms). Now days they say to not even put blankets in the crib, that the babies nightwear should be heavy enough to keep them warm. Times sure do change.

Other Links of Interest

Copyright Notice

This work is protected under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. I grant you prior permission to use my feed and quotes of 100 words or less as long as you give credit. If you wish to use more, please email me.